Lighting control system



June 6,1933. ADAM 1,912,613

LIGHTING CQNTROL SYSTEM Filed 001;. 21 1929 INVENTOR Feeom/c/c 5. ADAMlew-m 6.

ATTORNEYS Patented June 6, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK B.ADAM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK ADAM ELECTRIC CO., 013'ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEMApplication filed Oetolier 21, 1929. Serial No. 401,342.

This invention relates to lighting control systems and particularly to asystem in which any number of predetermined lighting effects, both as toillumination and 1ntensity, may be set up for subsequent selectivedisplay. Hereto'fore, the prevailing practice has been to presetonly the illumination, and to adjust the dimming means be tweensuccessive lighting scenes. This practice, insofar as it relates to thedimming, is-

very undesirable because it results in a transition delay during theaccomplishment of the dimming.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a means wherebyany number of predetermined lighting effects may be preset, both as toillumination and'dimming, and thereafter selectively displayed asdesired.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a lighting control systemin which any number of desireddimming effects may be preset forsubsequent selective display in a manner similar to the presetting anddisplay of the illumination effects,

' A further object is to provide a lighting control system in which theswitching and dimming controls are so combined that any number ofpredetermined lighting effects, both as to illumination and dimming, maybe preset for subsequent selective display, and which fulfills thestringent space requirements demanded in theatre and auditoriuminstallations.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lighting control systemin which the dimming may be preset for any desired number of scenes.

A further object is that of rendering such 'preselections, both'illumination and dimming, effective through the actuation of a singleswitch.

A still further object of my invention is that of providing an improvedand simpli fied system of the nature above referred to whichaffordsa'more complete, flexible, and

facilecontib'l than the systems heretofore employed.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawing, which is a schematic wiringdiagram showing an' application of my invention to the control of threelighting circuits as that number is sufficient to illustrate the meansand methods employed and give a clear understanding of the operation ofmy system.

The lighting circuits to be controlled are numbered 100, 200 and 300,and for convenience and clarity of description these circuits will bedesignated respectively as white foots, white borders and white pockets.

, by a relatively small current in the windings 103, 203 and 303. Thearrangement of the recited windings on the magnetic cores of thereactance dimmers is such that the illumination intensity of the lampsin each circuit is approximately an exact function of the current in theassociated control winding, as will readily be understood by thosefamiliar with the art. Alternating current of a substantially differentfrequency than that of the supply lines L and L may be employed in thecontrol circuit, but I prefer to use direct current as the controllingmedium, and provide control generators such as- 1, 2 and 3, to be drivenat constant speed by suitable means (not shown) to furnish the controlenergy. These generators are separately excited, each field beingadapted for selective connection to either of through rheostats 8, andthence to the D. C. line L The method herein described for accomplishingthe presetting of desired lighting effects and intensities consists inregulating the control generators to voltages that will produce certainpredetermined illuminating intensities in the lamp groups, andassociating any number of the lamp groups with one or more of thegenerators for subsequent energization. The selective combination oflamp groups is obtained by means of a system of switching andcommutation of control coil circuits, to be hereinafter described.

Each of the control windings 103, 203 and 303, is provided with a groupof individually operable selector relays such as 104 to 108, inclusive,the number of relays in each group being dependent upon the number ofscenes desired to be preset. By means of these relays, the controlwindings associated therewith may be selectively connected, throughcommon conductors 109, 209 and 309, and the contacts such as 110, 21.0and 310, to any one of the conductors, numbered from 10 to 14.

A selective connection of any of the conductors 10 to 14 with any of thecontrol generators is accomplished by means of relays numbered from 15to 29, hereinafter referred to as generator selector relays. Eachconductor is provided with a number of such relays corresponding to thenumber of con trol generators. Thus, in the present example, conductor14 is connected to a terminal contact of each of the relays 15, 16 and17 the complementary terminal contact in each instance leading to acontrol generator through one of the conductors 30, 31 or 32.

The control circuits, which include the dimmer coils 103, 203 and 303and the control generators 1,2 and 3 are completed through a conductor 9which is shown con necting all of the recited control coils and controlgenerators.

Means for selectively actuating the generator selector relays areprovided in single pole, multi-throw switches numbered from 33 to 37,and to be hereinafter referred to as generator selector switches, eachhaving a number of operating positions corresponding to the number ofrelays associated with each of the conductors such as 14. Consideringnow, for example, the relays 15, 16 and 17, adapted for actuation by thegenerator selector switch 33, one end of each relay coil is connected toan individual terminal of said switch 33, and the other to a source ofenergy, as through conductor 38 which leads to one of the D. C. lines LA conductor 39 connecting the common terminal of the switch 33 and thelines L: completes the electrical circuit. All of the relays andgenerator selector switches are circuited in the manner described, theconductors 38 and 39 preferably serving the entire group. Now, forexample, if it is desired that the conductor 13 and its attending dimmercontrol coils be connected to generator 2, the relay 19 is actuated bythe selective operation of switch 34.

Obviously, the system described above for selectively connecting theconductors 10 to 14, to the desired generator may be accomplished in asimilar manner without the use of the magnetic relays. Since, however,the requirements of a certain scene may be such that the energizingcurrent for a large number of dimming control coils might be supplied bya single generator, and through a single generator switch, the currentmight become too unwieldy for direct commutation, and I, therefore,prefer to use the relays as described.

The following description deals with the method and means employed forsetting up any number of combinations of lighting groups in advance ofthe time they are to be selectively energized for display.

As previously mentioned, I provide a group of selector relays for eachlighting unit. Referring now to a selector relay, such as 104, disposedin the group associated with lighting circuit 100, it is noted that twopairs of contacts are provided, each pair being adapted fornon-concurrent electrical connection with respect to the other. Theupper pair, for instance, 110, normally open when the associated relaycoil is deenergized, has been hereinbefore mentioned and its purposeexplained. The lower pair, normally closed under the recited condition,is connected in series with the corresponding pairs of the other relays105, 106, 107 and 108,

which comprise the group. The relay coils m5 of the group are arrangedand circuited with the series of lower paired contacts in such a manner,to be hereinafter described, as to prevent two or more relay coils ofthe group from being concurrently energized. Thus, no

the coils are adapted to receive energy from the l). C. line L through afeeder conductor 40, which leads through the coils of pilot relays 117,217 and 317, to be hereinafter 1 described, and thence to the initiallower contact of the series and connects the adjacent contacts ofadjacent pairs.

As shown in the drawing, I provide pilot lights 116, 216 and 316, onefor each group of selector relays, for the purpose of indieating whetheror not any of the selector relays are energized. The illumination of thepilot lights are dependent upon the closing of pilot relays 117, 217 and317, herein before mentioned.

One end of the relay coil associated with the relay 104, is connecteddirectly to the feeder 40, and the corresponding ends of each of theremaining coils of the group are connected to those portions of thefeeder 40 which connect the adjacent pairs of contacts in series. Thus,it is evident that by energizing the coil of relay 104, the circuitfeeding the remaining coils in the group is bro- 5 ken and theirrelaysrendered inoperative. In like manner, the actuation ofv relay 106renders relays 107 and 108 inoperative.

Each relay is individually circuited with a single pole switch such as111,.hereinafter referred tov as a presetting switch, the switchespreferably being arranged in groups as shown. These presetting switches,

having corresponding positions in their respective groups, arepreferably connected to a conductor which leads to the common terminalofa single pole'triple throw switch, such as 41. Thus the presettingswitches 111, 211 and 311 are connected to the conductor 46 Which leadsto the switch 41, hereinafter referred to as a cueswitch, and theswitches 115, 215 and 315 to the conductor 50, leading to the cue switch45, etc.

One terminal of each of the recited cue switches is connectedd'irectlyto the D. C. supply line L. through conductor 51. Therefore,the circuiting of any of the conductors 46 to 50 with conductor 51through this terminal of the cue switch enables immediate energizationof the selector relays. A second terminal of each of the cue switches isconnected to a conductor such as 70 to 74, inclusive, and the actuationof a cue switch into the position shown in the drawing, servestotransfer the control of selector relay energization to one masterswitches 67, 68 and 69, in a manner hereinafter described. The actuationof the cue switches in their third position circuits the conductors 46to50 with the conductor 75, whereby the control of the selector relaysmay-be effected by the one master 76. I

I To avoid the concurrent'manipulation of a plurality of cue'swjtches,and for the purpose of providing means enabling preselective grouping ofthe conductors 46 to 50 for subsequent energization, provide a pluralityof single pole switches, numbered from 52 to 66, hereinafter referred toas cue. selector switches. Leading from terminals of the cue, switches41 to 45, respectively, are conductors70 to 74. To each of theseconductors is connected in multiple,a plurality of the cue selectorswitches Thus switches 52, 57 and 62 areas'sociated with conductor 70;switches 53, 58 and 63,, with conductor 71, etc. As indicated on thedrawing, cue selector switches 52 to 56 are connected to individualterminals of a,multi-pole switch 67, referred to above as a one masterswitch. Switches 57 to 61 are similarly associated withcue master 68 andswitches 62 to 66 with one master 69. The common terminals of the cuemasters 67, 68 and 69 are connected with the D. C. line L Now, assumingthe cue switches are posiof cue master 67.

A brief description of the operation of my system as applied to thesetting up and dis play of three lighting scenes is as follows:

Assume that scene one requires the illumination from all three of thelighting circuits shown, but each at a different illuminationintensityfrom that of the others. "Thus, the

white foots 100 are to be displayed at 100% intensity; white borders,200, at 75% intensity; and white pockets, 300, at 50% intensity. Inscene two, lighting circuits 100 I and 200, only, are required, and theyat 50% illumination intensity. Duringthe presentation of the secondsce'ne, these lighting circuits are to be gradually brightened to 100%intensity. In scene three, let it be assumed that the circuits 100 and300, only, are required, the former initially at full bright or 100%intensity, to be gradually dimmed out, while the'latter, initially dim,isto be brightened to its fullest extent.

-Since the three lighting circuits employed in scene one are to beenergized at different intensities, it is necessary that they each beinfluenced'by a different generator, hence through different conductorsleading to the generators." Thus, set up switches 111, 212 and 313 areclosed, which enables the lightmg circuits 100, 200 and 300 tobe-circuited with theconductors 10, 11 and '12 through selector relays104, 205 and 306, respectively. By reason ofthe particular lightingscenes .chosenfor'the purposes of this description,

those previously closed in the setting up of scene one. However, it willbe obvious that were; the present illustrative description"broaden'ed'to cover the application of my system to an installation ofpractical size, say for example, a system employing fifty or seventyfive lighting circuits, the bringing in of additional lighting circuits,to those used in a prior scene would require the use of additionalselector switches .and also addithe operation of which tional cueswitches, will be hereinafter explained.

In ordento have control of the selector relays for each scene, availableat a single switch, the cue masters 41, 42,14 etc., are actuated intocontrol transfer position,

.viz., that shown in the drawing. Now, by

closing cue selectors 52, 53 and 54, scene one may be effected by theactuation of one master 67 Also one selectors 57 58, 62 and 64 areclosed, making it possible to efi'ect scenes two and three,respectively, by the actuation of cue masters 68 and 69.

Now, to go back to scene one, the lighting circuits 100, 200 and 300,respectively, have been preselectively associated with the conductors10, l1 and 12. Generator 1 will be chosen to produce the influencingvoltage for lighting circuit 100. Its terminal voltage is regulated,preferably, by means of itsfield rheostat 6, to a value known to produce100% illumination in any lighting circuit or circuits associatedtherewith. By actuating the generator selector switch 37, into theposition for energizing generator selector relay 27, this relay isclosed, and conductor is connected to generator 1 through the conductor30. In a similar manner, generators 2 and 3 are re ulated to produce thedesired influencing vo ltage and conductors 11 and 12, respectively, areconnected with these generators by the proper positioning of switches 36and to effect the actuation of relays 25 and 23.

The scenes are now in readiness for display. It will be remembered thatthe relays 104, 205 and 306 are, as yet, unenergized, their actuatingcoils having merely been circuited through relay selector switches, cue

switches and cue selectors for subsequentenergization by means of thecue masters.

After presentation of scene one, one master 67 is opened, causing relays104, 205 and 306 to become deenergized which breaks the circuits betweenthe reactance dimmer control coils and the conductors 10, 11 and 12. Thegenerators 1 and 2 are readjusted to effect illumination as is desiredfor scene two. Uponelosing cue master 68, relays 164 and 205 are againenergized, relay 306 remaining deenergized, since one selector switch 59was left open in the set up for scene two. At the appropriate timeduring this scene the voltages of generators 1 and 2 are raised by,means of their respective field rheostats, or by means of the excitergenerators, which ever method is most desirable. Thus the lightingintensity of groups 100 and 200 are increased to the desired 100%.

After scene two, cue master 68 is opened and the generator Voltagesagain readjusted, for scene three, in this case it being necessary onlyto reduce the voltage of generator 3. Now, upon closing one master 69,lighting group 100 is energized full bright and lighting group 300, dim,to produce scene At the appropriate time during scene three, the voltageof generator 1 is gradually reduced, dimmin lights- 100 while generator3 is regulate to gradually brighten the lights 300.

In the recitation of scene two, it is noted is closed along with t thatlighting circuits 100 and 200 are employed at the same illuminationintensity, hence, if desired, they both may be controlled by the samegenerator, rather than by separate generators, .as outlined above forthe operation of scene two.. Such a set up for the scene might bedesirable as it would be necessary to actuate only one control generatorrheostat to effect the desired scene. In order to accomplish this arrane-' ment an additional set up switch 112 in t e group associated withlighting circuit 100 e other set up switches, as heretofore described.Now upon closing cue master switch 68 the relays 105 and 205 areenergized, which results in the association of lighting circuits 100 and200 with conductor 11. ductor has already been connected with generator2 through the generator selector relay 25, and this'gener'ator ma bethereby employed to influence both 0 the desired lighting circuits.

While the herein described means 'employed are sufficient to produce anoperable system which fulfills the objects above 'noted, it would beadvantageous in a system of practical size to provide 'a greater numberof control generators than that which is shown. In such an installationcertain of the generators-would be set at voltages intended to producedifferent lighting intensities and would remain at these settingsthroughout the entire performance. Other ofthe generators would beavailable for such lighting groups, whose illumination in- Thiscontensity it was intended to vary during a scene. Thus the necessity ofreadjusting the generators after a scene in preparation for the scenewhich follows, would be obviated.

1 It will be seen that the described example of the invention aflords arelatively simple and inexpensive, yet efficient means of obtaining agreat variety of illuminating effeets. It will, however, be understoodthat the present example-represents only a single preferred embodiment,to be understood in an illustrative, and not in a limiting. sense,

and that the parts described, as well as their plu-' tinct combinations,adapted for successive rality of lighting circuits, meansfor'selectively associating said circuits, while any thereof areenergized into a plurality of disa plurality of combinations of saidcircuits for successve display, and during display of any of saidcircuits, and means-for presetting the intensity of illumination in thecircuits of a plurality of said combinations ir-f respective of theinclusion of the same circuit in more than one of each combination.

4. In a lighting control system for a plurality of lamp circuits,energization and intensity control means for said lamp circuits, aplurality of regulatable influencing means for said energization andintensity control means, magnetic relays for connecting said influencingmeans and said energization and intensity control means and means forcircuiting said relays to provide any number of the possiblecombinations thereof during energization of any one of said relays.

5. In an electrical system, a lighting circuit, means for controllingthe illumination and intensity of said circuit, said means including aplurality of generators, a plurality of magnetic relays associated withsaid circuit and adapted to selectively connect the circuit with any ofsaid generators, and means for preventing concurrent operativeassociation of the circuit, with more than a one generator.

6. In a lighting control system, aplurality of lamp circuits, andenergization and intensity control means ,for each of said circuits;said means including individual control elements, a plurality ofgenerators for regulating the electrical conditions of said controlelements, and means for selectively associating said control elementsand generators; said associating means including a group of magneticrelays for each of said control elementsand means constituted by eachgroup of relays for preventing concurrent energization of a plurality ofthe relays of the group.

7 In a lighting control system having a plurality of lamp circuits,reactance means for controlling said circuits, a plurality ofregulatable units, for influencing said reactance means, means forselectively grouping said lamp circuits, and means for selectivelyassociating'any number of said groups with each of said influencingunits and during the energization of such unit.

8. A lighting control system adapted for display of selective scenes,and including a plurality of lighting circuits, intensityconfassociating said control means into groups,

to create a plurality of scenes, and means for effecting the display ofsaid scenes in any desired order.

9. In a lighting control system including a plurality of lightingcircuits, reactance dimmers for said circuits, a plurality ofregulatable dimmer influencing means, means for selectively electricallyassociating said dimmers into a plurality of combinations for purposesof successive display and during the energization of one suchcombination, and means for selectively relating said combinations ofdimmers with each of said influencing means.

10. In an electrical system for controlling the illumination andintensity of a plurality of lighting circuits, a plurality ofregulatable influencing means, and switching means identified with eachlighting circuit, for selectively connecting said circuit with any ofsaid influencing means, said switching means including 'a plurality ofmagnetically operated switches, related for individual operation only,and adapted thereby for preventing the concurrent connection of theassociated lighting circuit with more than one of said influencingmeans.

FREDERICK B. ADAM.

